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Regulation of saxitoxin production in bacteria and algae. In Australia, toxic algal blooms have had a devastating impact on marine and freshwater resources. In collaboration with a biotechnology company, this project will develop exciting new methods based on information regarding the genetics of the toxin, to monitor and potentially mitigate the effects of algal blooms on water supplies and aquaculture industries. We will use this method to determine the impact of light and salinity in regulati ....Regulation of saxitoxin production in bacteria and algae. In Australia, toxic algal blooms have had a devastating impact on marine and freshwater resources. In collaboration with a biotechnology company, this project will develop exciting new methods based on information regarding the genetics of the toxin, to monitor and potentially mitigate the effects of algal blooms on water supplies and aquaculture industries. We will use this method to determine the impact of light and salinity in regulating toxin production in cyanobacteria and algae.Read moreRead less
Managing acid mine drainage in northern Australia using microbial mats. One of the most difficult environmental issues for the mining industry is acid mine drainage (AMD) that can lead to significant environmental damage. This project aims to identify microbes and characterise their roles in AMD formation in north Australia. We will use our new knowledge to design and trial microbial mats for the treatment of AMD. A successful AMD microbial treatment technology will minimise the risk of acid run ....Managing acid mine drainage in northern Australia using microbial mats. One of the most difficult environmental issues for the mining industry is acid mine drainage (AMD) that can lead to significant environmental damage. This project aims to identify microbes and characterise their roles in AMD formation in north Australia. We will use our new knowledge to design and trial microbial mats for the treatment of AMD. A successful AMD microbial treatment technology will minimise the risk of acid runoff and metal seepage into rivers and through groundwater. AMD treatment technology we develop in the tropics where we experience the extremes of dry and wet seasons will require only minor modification to operate in temperate climates however the reverse is not true. Read moreRead less
The ecological dynamics of secreted bacteriocins and the evolution of multiple bacteriocin production in Escherichia coli. Bacteria produce compounds known as bacteriocins that are toxic to other microorganisms. The success of bacteria as bio-control agents and in probiotic formulations for the control microbial pathogens is, in part, due to bacteriocins. Bacteriocins may also have a role as replacements for traditional antibiotics and as natural food preservatives. The potential usefulness of b ....The ecological dynamics of secreted bacteriocins and the evolution of multiple bacteriocin production in Escherichia coli. Bacteria produce compounds known as bacteriocins that are toxic to other microorganisms. The success of bacteria as bio-control agents and in probiotic formulations for the control microbial pathogens is, in part, due to bacteriocins. Bacteriocins may also have a role as replacements for traditional antibiotics and as natural food preservatives. The potential usefulness of bacteriocins as the active agent in bio-control agents, as antibiotic replacements, as food preservatives, and as part of the repertoire of traits in probiotic formulations requires a sound understanding of the eco-evolutionary dynamics of bacteriocins. Understanding the ecology and evolution of bacteriocins is the goal of the proposed research.Read moreRead less
The role of dysregulated signalling by TORC1 in mitochondrial disease. The mitochondria are tiny subcellular compartments responsible for producing over 90 per cent of the cell's energy. Mitochondrial defects feature both in genetic diseases that directly affect the mitochondria and in most neurodegenerative diseases. These incurable diseases are expected to eclipse cancer as the second major cause of death worldwide by 2040. Using a simple model organism, Dictyostelium, previous research showed ....The role of dysregulated signalling by TORC1 in mitochondrial disease. The mitochondria are tiny subcellular compartments responsible for producing over 90 per cent of the cell's energy. Mitochondrial defects feature both in genetic diseases that directly affect the mitochondria and in most neurodegenerative diseases. These incurable diseases are expected to eclipse cancer as the second major cause of death worldwide by 2040. Using a simple model organism, Dictyostelium, previous research showed that dysregulated intracellular signalling by a cellular energy-sensing alarm protein is responsible for diverse cellular pathologies in mitochondrially diseased cells. This project will determine the role in these pathways of a second cellular stress-sensing protein complex, TORC1. New treatment possibilities may emerge.Read moreRead less
Archaeal dark matter and the origin of eukaryotes. This project aims to investigate the highly controversial origin of eukaryotes and thus all multicellular life within Archaea, a domain of single-celled microorganisms. Resolving eukaryotic origins has long been hampered by an inability to cultivate archaea from the environment. This project aims to develop a novel high-throughput single-cell genomics approach to recover archaeal genomes, thus bypassing the cultivation step. The genomes will con ....Archaeal dark matter and the origin of eukaryotes. This project aims to investigate the highly controversial origin of eukaryotes and thus all multicellular life within Archaea, a domain of single-celled microorganisms. Resolving eukaryotic origins has long been hampered by an inability to cultivate archaea from the environment. This project aims to develop a novel high-throughput single-cell genomics approach to recover archaeal genomes, thus bypassing the cultivation step. The genomes will contribute to a comprehensive taxonomic framework which will facilitate the evaluation of evolutionary relationships between the eukaryotic and archaeal domains. This may uncover previously unknown archaea with novel metabolic capabilities.Read moreRead less
The conversion of remote location natural gas to fuels and chemicals. The objectives of the research programme will be to develop novel science, engineering and technology that will allow cost efficient conversion of remote gas reserves to liquid fuels and/or chemicals with minimal greenhouse gas emissions. The significance of the proposal rests in the fact that Australia has large remote location gas fields that cannot be exploited but faces, within ten years, trillion dollars a year balance of ....The conversion of remote location natural gas to fuels and chemicals. The objectives of the research programme will be to develop novel science, engineering and technology that will allow cost efficient conversion of remote gas reserves to liquid fuels and/or chemicals with minimal greenhouse gas emissions. The significance of the proposal rests in the fact that Australia has large remote location gas fields that cannot be exploited but faces, within ten years, trillion dollars a year balance of payments deficits due to a shortgae of liquid fuels. The development of new processes for gas to liquids conversion and new technology for existing processes is the essential aim of the proposed research.Read moreRead less
Safety in numbers: Bacterial aggregation and adaptation to oxidative stress. This project is a new collaboration which links two molecular microbiologists with the complementary skills required to make new insights into the molecular processes that underpin bacterial aggregation and biofilm formation. Biofilms are of immense significance in medical, industrial and environmental settings and so the fundamental information gained from this project will have wider relevance to the field of microbio ....Safety in numbers: Bacterial aggregation and adaptation to oxidative stress. This project is a new collaboration which links two molecular microbiologists with the complementary skills required to make new insights into the molecular processes that underpin bacterial aggregation and biofilm formation. Biofilms are of immense significance in medical, industrial and environmental settings and so the fundamental information gained from this project will have wider relevance to the field of microbiology. An outcome of this proposal will be fundamental knowledge about the production of surface adhesins that will form the basis for rational treatment of disease in the future. Prevention of aggregation and biofilm formation would make bacterial populations more susceptible to conventional antibiotic treatment.Read moreRead less
Australian Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: FL140100021
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,700,000.00
Summary
Building virtual cyanobacteria: moving beyond the genomics era. Building virtual cyanobacteria: moving beyond the genomics era. This project aims to establish a new understanding of complex biological systems through the development of computational models of single cells and global ecosystems. The project will focus on globally important photosynthetic bacteria that underlie the entire marine food web. This project aims to characterise the diversity and abundance of photosynthetic bacteria acro ....Building virtual cyanobacteria: moving beyond the genomics era. Building virtual cyanobacteria: moving beyond the genomics era. This project aims to establish a new understanding of complex biological systems through the development of computational models of single cells and global ecosystems. The project will focus on globally important photosynthetic bacteria that underlie the entire marine food web. This project aims to characterise the diversity and abundance of photosynthetic bacteria across Australia's marine habitats and unravel the genetic basis for their adaptation to different environments. This data will be integrated with biochemical and physiological studies to create quantitative models at the cellular and global ecosystem scales. This project aims to develop new biomonitoring technologies, which combined with these models, will enable assessment of the health of Australia's marine ecosystems.Read moreRead less
Molecular mechanisms of pilin glycosylation in Neisseria: a model system for protein glycosylation in bacteria. The disease causing bacteria Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae are important human pathogens. Cell surface structures, called pili, are known to be important in allowing the bacteria to stick to host cells. Genetic and structural studies have identified that the protein subunits, which make up pili, are glycosylated - modified by the addition of sugars. Until recently ....Molecular mechanisms of pilin glycosylation in Neisseria: a model system for protein glycosylation in bacteria. The disease causing bacteria Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae are important human pathogens. Cell surface structures, called pili, are known to be important in allowing the bacteria to stick to host cells. Genetic and structural studies have identified that the protein subunits, which make up pili, are glycosylated - modified by the addition of sugars. Until recently glycosylation of Gram-negative bacterial proteins was not thought to occur, however our recent work with these bacteria, and other groups studying Pseudomonas and Campylobacter, have shown that this process may be widespread. In our previous studies, we have identified and analysed a number of genes involved in pili glycosylation, in bacteria, which make known sugar structures. We have used this information to developed models for how the biochemistry and physiology of the glycosylation system may work. With a well-established structure and many genes already identified, glycosylation in Neisseria represents the best available model system to study this novel and important process. In the proposed study we describe experiments planned to test our models and reveal the molecular detail of this process. This study could lead to major advances in our understanding of this process and, when understood, may have future applications in biotechnology.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120102610
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
The role of deep-sea microorganisms in nutrient cycling in the Southern Ocean. This project aims to learn how surface water microbes that are important in global nutrient cycling adapt to life when they sink to the deep sea. This will teach us about the roles that surface water and deep sea microbes play in maintaining the health of marine environments.